- Chinese Lenovo announced on September 16 that the company has collaborated with China Mobile to jointly launch a TD-SCDMA (Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) Smartphone, known as Ophone, running on OMS (Open Mobile System) platform developed by China Mobile based on Google's Android OS, the AFP News reported on September 17. Lenovo expects to begin selling the Ophonenext month in China, while China Unicom is set to sell the iPhone starting in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Aside from Lenovo, China Mobile stated that several leading mobile phone makers have built Ophone for China Mobile, including HTC - known as Dopod in China - LG, Lenovo, Dell, and Philips, according to a report by Reuters. Furthermore, China Mobile expects other mobile phone makers to follow, including Motorola, Samsung, and ZTE.

Nevertheless, China Mobile recently confirmed that the company is still in talks with Apple over selling iPhones in China, Dow Jones reported on September 14, citing Wang Jianzhou, the CEO of China Mobile. Wang further stated that the launch of Ophone is not aimed at countering iPhone, the Sohu IT News reported on September 11, adding that the Ophone will be priced at approximately 1,000 RMB (US$147.1; US$1 = 6.8 RMB).